SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Oct. 19, 2012 – Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) announced last night at its annual SOE Live fan event that the highly anticipated massively multiplayer online first-person shooter (MMOFPS) PlanetSide®2 will launch in North America and Europe on November 20, 2012. A free-to-play title with optional content available for purchase in the marketplace, PlanetSide 2 offers an unprecedented gaming experience where players battle in massive environments alongside and against thousands of players engaging in intense air and ground combat that spans the planet of Auraxis. Players will soon be able to pledge their allegiance and enlist in one of three unique Empires – Terran Republic, New Conglomerate and Vanu Sovereignty – in the fight for global domination.

“PlanetSide 2 is without a doubt the next great MMOFPS and I believe it heralds the next phase and future of the gaming industry,” said John Smedley, President, Sony Online Entertainment. “External beta participants have experienced first-hand the sweeping implications that PlanetSide 2’s unrelenting action gameplay and large-scale mixed infantry, air, and ground vehicle combat have had on the advancement of the FPS genre. By providing an enormous magnitude of multiplayer action gameplay and features, we are fostering a community of passionate, engaged players and delivering an experience they have never before encountered, but always envisioned, in an online shooter: massive, player-driven combat warfare on unparalleled thousand player battlefields.”

SOE kicked off external beta testing for PlanetSide 2 on August 3, 2012. Since that time, PlanetSide 2 beta has seen a massive amount of participation with each beta player averaging more than two hours a day in game. Other interesting beta statistics include:

“We are thrilled to have reached a point where we can set an official release date for PlanetSide 2. External beta has been a fantastic learning experience, one where we have been constantly iterating and incorporating player feedback, tweaking and refining features to ensure an explosive, quality game at launch,” said Matt Higby, Creative Director of PlanetSide 2. “External beta has been an amazing way to directly connect with the player community on both an individual and large-scale basis and has further proven that we truly offer gameplay for every type of player. I’ve participated in battles against huge outfits that employ exhaustive base capture strategies, and I’ve marveled at the skill of some of our most adept combat pilots. It is definitely the most unique gaming experience SOE has ever created.”

PlanetSide 2 is currently in external beta and will be available as a “Free-To-Play. Your Way.™ title on PC systems via digital download on November 20, 2012. For players who are interested in an enhanced PlanetSide 2 experience, a Premium Membership option will be available for US$14.99/month and will include scalable gains for resources, XP and passive cert points. Additionally, Premium Members will receive priority log-in queue access, early access to new cosmetic items and a monthly Station Cash bonus. Players who maintain their membership over time will accrue enhancements to their benefits, and players who purchase their membership in multi-month blocks will receive an increased benefit gain immediately.

About PlanetSide 2
PlanetSide 2 takes all the groundbreaking features from the original game – massive multiplayer battles, distinct empires to rally around, and enormous continents where intense ground and air combat unfold – and adds features that modern gamers have come to expect of the FPS and MMO genres. With advanced technology, years of gamer feedback, and a new SOE proprietary MMO game engine called ForgeLight™, PlanetSide 2 offers a truly competitive and visceral FPS experience with massive warfare, massive customization and massive community.

Across the continents of Auraxis, thousands of players will come together in enormous battles to win control of critical territories and key resources for their empire. With an extensive skill tree and free-form class-based system, players will be able to customize their soldier, weapons and vehicles to match their play-style, as well as the needs of their squad, outfit or empire. Battles can last for days or weeks, so players will need to build alliances and specialized combat outfits to take on long-term strategic and tactical initiatives. With aircraft and ground vehicles, as well as infantry combat, the battles will be larger and more intense than ever before.

About SOE
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games. Best known for its blockbuster hits and franchises, including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, PlanetSide®, Free Realms®, Star Wars®: Clone Wars Adventures™, and DC Universe Online™, SOE creates, develops and provides compelling online entertainment for a variety of platforms. SOE is building on its proven legacy and pioneering the future of online worlds through creative development and inspired gameplay design for audiences of all ages. To learn more, visit www.soe.com.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest, Champions of Norrath, PlanetSide, and Free Realms are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.